• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Negros Occidental is expected to approve the proposed P6.45-billion annual budget of the province for 2025 on Dec. 3, Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer said on Friday, Nov. 29.
“We are waiting for the final committee report of Board Member Rommel Debulgado, chair of the committee on appropriations and finance, who will present it during SP regular session next week,” he added.
Of the P6.45 billion, the P6.203 billion will go to the General Fund Proper while the P254.454 million will be allotted for the Economic Enterprise Development Department, a special account under the General Fund.
The proposed amount for 2025 is higher by about 18.8 percent from the previous year’s P5.43 million due to the province’s higher share from the National Tax Allotment.
The overall increase from the 2024 annual budget is P1.022 billion.
“The 2025 Executive Budget reflects the administration’s continued commitment to fully realizing our seven-point development agenda, Abanse Negrense. It has been carefully crafted to guide us in our pursuit for sustained progress and development, with a focus on achieving a Negrense-brand of good governance and growth,” Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said.
Lacson said that next year’s budget was formulated with strict adherence to the necessary fiscal reforms, ensuring that the resources are maximized to meet the provincial government’s goals and objectives for Negros Occidental and the Negrenses. | GB
